BY NANCY GALLIMORE WERHANE, CPDT-KA
PHOTOS BY BRENT CARLOW
IT’S A HOT TOPIC; aging gracefully while living a happy, healthy life for as long as possible. We all think about it, we all try this vitamin, that exercise, and so-and-so’s diet plan in an effort to keep the years rolling.
We also carry that responsibility for our dogs. Conscientious dog parents spare no expense to do whatever it takes to give Fido or Fidette the longest, happiest, healthiest life possible. For larger dogs, 10 to 12 years was once considered a long life, yet thanks to advances in diet and veterinary care, many of our dogs are finding their way well into their teens. I have personally been blessed to have several dogs live to be 15 and 16 years of age.
According to an age comparison chart- the old standard of every dog year equaling seven human years is not actually accurate-a dog the size of my dear Dalmatian, Monte, for example, would have been somewhere around the equivalent of 95 years of age when he passed away at age 15 years, seven months. It was a lovely long time to have my very special boy by my side.
Now meet Buddy, who was born May 24, 1991. Yes, you read that right. Meet him.
At nearly 20 years of age, Buddy, is not only alive, but still going for walks, still social and still enjoying every single day of his amazingly long life.
According to owner Gail Carlow, Buddy’s mom, Jessie, was an English setter that was given to the family. “We got Jessie from a man who raised hunting dogs,” said Gail. “Jessie was a couple of years old and the breeder said that she was unable to have puppies. We believed him, so did not worry about spaying her.”
Apparently, Jessie had just not met Mr. Right. Enter the neighbor’s Labrador retriever. The rest of the story does not need explanation. A couple of months later 15, yes 15, darling puppies were born.
“My boys latched on to little Buddy early on. He was the only brown and white puppy in the litter and he was one of the biggest puppies. When it came time to give the puppies to new homes, the boys hid Buddy in their room hoping Mom wouldn’t notice,” Gail explained with a smile.
So, the little puppy was home to stay, but no one could have imagined he would have such a long stay.
His visits to the veterinarian have been few and far between and blessedly unremarkable. There was one unfortunate accident when someone stole a young Buddy from the family’s yard and then, when spotted, tossed him from their moving car. The fall resulted in a fractured hip, but with youth on his side, Buddy recovered easily.
At age 17 he suffered a minor stroke that gave the family a scare, but once again, Buddy bounced back with no lingering effects. Beyond those small bumps in the road of life, Buddy has slowed with age and has hearing loss, but has never suffered any other health issues. So what is the secret to Buddy’s longevity?
Well, I would love to be able to tell you some magical diet plan or supplement that Gail and her family discovered, but the truth is, Buddy is just one lucky, sturdy guy who apparently won the gene pool lottery. He has always eaten a normal, healthy dog food diet. He has been kept current on his vaccinations and has had regular check-ups. Perhaps most importantly, Buddy has known nothing but the stability of a devoted family.
According to Gail, that is the real secret to Buddy’s success-living a happy life. “We have given him lots and lots of love and attention. He has always enjoyed being right with us, especially on weekend trips to the lake.”
Buddy has also always maintained a healthy social life. In the days before dog parks were popular, Buddy created his own circle of friends.
“As a younger dog, he would sneak out of the yard late in the afternoon to visit dogs all around a three block area,” laughs Gail. “He would always come back home and bark at the door for us to let him in. If we didn’t get there as quickly as he thought we should, he would jump up and hit the door bell, a trick he learned from his mom, Jessie.”
He has also always enjoyed-and yes, still does to this day-afternoon romps in the neighborhood park with the family’s other dog, labrador retriever Max. We can assume that regular exercise has played an important part in Buddy’s healthy lifestyle, even though these days the romps are a bit shorter and the ensuing naps a bit longer.
“He tries to keep up with Max when they are running around the park, but afterward it’s straight back to the house to sleep. He sleeps a lot of the time these days, but is still very happy-go-lucky, affectionate and very much a part of our family,” says Gail.
According to Guinness World Records, the greatest reliable age recorded for a dog is 29 years, 5 months for an Australian cattle dog named Bluey, owned by Les Hall of Rochester, Victoria, Australia. Bluey was obtained as a puppy in 1910 and worked among cattle and sheep for nearly 20 years before being put to sleep on November 14, 1939.
More recently, a dachshund named Chanel was recorded by Guinness as the oldest living dog until her death from natural causes a few months past her 21st birthday in May 2009.
With the title of oldest living dog up for grabs, could Buddy be a contender? Yes, he most definitely could be and perhaps the folks at Guinness will come knocking at the door to undoubtedly disrupt one of the senior dog’s many naps.
Most importantly, however, Buddy will continue to hold the title of most beloved family dog with the Carlows. Ask Gail to describe Buddy in a single sentence and the answer is quick and simple, “He is just the best dog we could have ever asked for-period.”
Sparrow is a female lab that wandered into a couple’s yard in Checotah during the last blizzard. She was starving, pregnant, and in desperate need of help. The lady of the house took her in and had her checked at the vet including paying for her shots, etc. She kept her until she had her puppies.
